School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-As the Mumby family gathers to celebrate Christmas at Larklight, their Earth-orbiting home, a dire message arrives alerting them of a "Great Danger" threatening the universe. The family sets off across the solar system to Georgium Sidus (aka Uranus) to find out what is wrong. So begins Art and Myrtle Mumby's latest space adventure. The danger turns out to be the Mothmaker, a malevolent Shaper or creator of planetary systems. It is determined to conquer the worlds, including Earth, created by another Shaper, Mrs. Mumby, and enslave the creatures, including humans, created by her. A series of exciting and entertaining episodes involving various characters and imaginative creatures leads up to a final confrontation between the Mothmaker and Art, Myrtle, and their companions at Balmoral Castle. While the story is told primarily from the point of view of Art, who is prone to use inflated language, Myrtle's diary entries are inserted throughout and include amusing commentary. The unlikely, somewhat awkward romance between the prim and proper Myrtle and Jack Havock is back on, much to Art's chagrin. Mothmaker is a clever blending of genres including science fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, and adventure with a liberal dash of British humor and style. One might describe it as a cross between science fiction, action movie, soap opera, and situation comedy. In sum, it's simply a jolly good read.-Jennifer D. Montgomery, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
(Intermediate, Middle School) In Reeve's third space-opera satire set in a Victorian Britain that has colonized space, the universe is once more under siege, this time from blue lizard-creatures riding gigantic space moths. Enterprising young lad Art and his (increasingly less proper) sister Myrtle share the narrative duties as off they trek, braving peril, brainwashing, and flare-propelled pulpits, to once again save the day. Reeve explores the mythology of the series a bit more here, delving into Mrs. Mumby's past as a Shaper (creator of a solar system) to anchor the introduction of another Shaper, this one a near-unstoppable villain. The anti-colonial satire continues to advance, taking particular aim at sexism and reaching new levels of poignancy (and uneasy relevance) with Jack's discovery that not only is the government responsible for his family being turned into trees but it's had -- and withheld -- the cure for years. Several new characters also burst onto the page, including Charity Cruet, a reverend's daughter with "as much pluck as any chap" in whom Art finds a kindred spirit. And of course, there's plenty of madcap wit, from Yuletide shenanigans ("the Pudding has gone Rogue!") to Art's indignant footnoting of this installment's romantic episodes. Throughout, Wyatt's sharply defined spot art enhances the strangeness, humor, and dynamism of Reeve's singular universe. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
It's Up the Empire and Huzzah! as Art and Myrtle Mumby and their superhuman Solar Systemcreating Shaper mother return for a third Victorian space-operatic adventure. The Mumbys' Christmas celebration with friends Jack Havock, (former) space pirate, and his crew is rudely interrupted, first by a Christmas Pudding Worm and then by a visit from the odious Doctor Blears, the Government's Chief of Natural Philosophy. An intercepted distress signal from Georgium Sidus (only the crudest call it Uranus) leads the intrepid adventurers to the far reaches of known space, where they encounter another, evil, Shaper and her army of giant-mothriding lizardlike Snilth, who are bent on taking over the British Empire! Reeve's imagination seems to know no bounds, as he conjures up ever more ridiculous and hilarious predicaments and solutions for his heroeswho knew that the prissy Myrtle and her obsession with propriety could hold the key to victory? With a cameo from Queen Victoria herself, as well as Sir Richard Burton, his Martian wife, Ulla, and a fretful Scottish ship's engineer, this tale will satisfy fans in inimitably jolly fashion. (Science fiction. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
After two stirring adventures in a row (Larklight, 2006, and Starcross, 2007), Art Mumby is looking forward to a well-deserved holiday. He and his sister, Myrtle, and their remarkable parents are welcoming Jack Havock and the gallant crew of the Sophronia to a Yuletide feast just as a space gunboat arrives. The HMS Actaeon bears old friends Sir Richard Burton and his wife, Ulla, but it also brings shocking news. An intercepted distress signal warns of an unknown peril from an uncharted sphere. Before you can say Great Scott! Art, Myrtle, and friends find themselves once again in a sticky situation, this time involving a vast cloud of Giant Moths, an Evil Shaper, and other assorted threats to the universe. Art, aided by inserts from Myrtle's diary, relates the tale of British pluck triumphing once again. Reeve's tongue is still firmly planted in his cheek, and this wacky series soars on, providing a galaxy of laughs, imaginative characters, and faster-than-light plotting all tied up with a Victorian bow. Huzzah for the Queen, the Empire, and the Larklight series!--Rutan, Lynn Copyright 2009 Booklist